Cliff Patten, Planning Consultant for Coastal Oil and Gas Ltd - whose applications to test drill for gas are being considered by Vale of Glamorgan Council this evening - says the company has drilled six boreholes in South Wales "without any major incidents."

He told our Correspondent Carole Green "this is a fairly ordinary application - hundreds of these have been drilled" throughout the UK.

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Anti-fracking campaigners in the Vale Of Glamorgan are tonight demonstrating in Barry, to demand that councillors turn down plans to test drill at three sites.

The Brigend company Coastal Oil and Gas Ltd wants to carry out exploratory tests at locations including Llandow and Llantrithyd. It also has plans to test drill near Llantrisant.

The protest group Villages Against Drilling says exploratory drilling for gas will spoil the countryside, but those in favour dismiss the environmental concerns, saying test drilling is a step on the road to fracking which in turn could provide vital affordable energy.

Fracking has caused controversy in both here in Wales, and around the rest of the UK Credit: PA

Hundreds of campaigners are expected to gather outside the Senedd today to show their concerns against so-called 'fracking' in Wales.

'Fracking' is the term given to a technique used to release gas and oil from shale rock. It involves drilling down before fracturing layers of rock using a pressurised liquid.

Anti-fracking groups such say 'this is not an alternative energy source' and that "the money which is being in invested in ever more extremes of energy extraction should now go into clean energy'

The Welsh Government say given the challenges of the energy sector they understand there is a need to look at the potential of this type of energy resource. However, there is also a need to fully consider the impacts on communities and the environment.

Campaigners opposed to fracking are writing to First Minister Carwyn Jones and Prime Minister David Cameron to highlight their worries after the Chancellor signalled his support for the industry in yesterday's Budget.

It is thought there is a substantial amount of gas under parts of South Wales, and many local people are concerned about the controversial way it is extracted.

Those representing oil and gas operators have welcomed George Osborne's comments.